Stroke Range of Motion
As a triathlete, I remember preparing for competitions by spending many strenuous hours performing laps in an indoor pool. The constant force I was placing on my body swimming seemingly endless laps while also cycling and running. I was prone to injury, and even more so with all three disciplines because of the extra demands I was placing on my body.
When compared to cycling and running, swimming is in most cases considered an upper body dominant sport. However, most swimmers use all of their muscles to exert tremendous force and propel themselves forward at high speeds. At the end of the swimmer’s day, total body care is needed. This holds especially true for triathletes!
There are a few injuries that are common to swimmers. Exploring these injuries and knowing what we can do to prevent and alleviate them should be a crucial part of any athlete’s regular care.
Muscle cramps
For me personally, cramping would present in my calves at night while sleeping. These charley horse cramps would be painful enough to waken me and send be bolting to my feet to stretch and flair out my toes for relief. Just like with any other strenuous activity, swimmers are prone to muscle cramps. Muscle cramps are an involuntary tightening of the muscle tissue that last from anywhere between a few seconds to several minutes. For swimmers, arm and leg cramps are common. The muscle may contract to the point where it bulges into a hardened mass and creates terrible pain. Intense muscle cramps are tender to the touch. Also, they may soften and release and then cramp up again several times before fully letting go. Muscle cramps are uncomfortable, sore, and sometimes seem unbearable, causing the surrounding area to stiffen and limit mobility of the affected area of the body.
Shoulder injury
Swimmer’s shoulder is the most common swimming injury. The repetitive use of the shoulders for performing various strokes can lead to overuse that can be harmful to the swimmer’s body. Typically, competitive swimmers have particular swim strokes that they perform more frequently than others and specific muscle groups are substantially used more than others. This repetition of movement over and over can wear down the muscles and the shoulder joint with time. There’s no way around it.
It is also common for the swimmer to adapt and change their stroke pattern to compensate for pain and muscle dysfunction. Athletes with swimmer’s shoulder frequently experience pain in the anterior, lateral aspect of the shoulder – the muscles feel fatigued and weak. In this situation, it is nearly impossible for the swimmer to use proper stroke mechanics. The swimmer often continues to compete with improper stroke mechanics and this can cause even further problems for them over time. Sometimes the shoulder injury may be minor with mild discomfort and other times there may be major tissue damage that will take a long time to heal. Left untreated an uncared for, we tend see more serious shoulder impingements and other rotator cuff injuries that can possibly lead to surgery later. Not a good place to be, I know!
Knee injury
Swimmer’s knee or “breaststroker’s knee” is another common injury that may occur to competitive swimmers. During the breaststroke, the swimmer repeatedly kicks the knee out to move through the water. If the knee is in improper alignment during this repetitive motion, the stress builds on the knee and creates swelling, pain, and muscle fatigue. The repetitive force creates pressure on the medial collateral ligament inside the knee joint.
Back pain
Contrary to popular assumption, swimming provides successful relief of back and neck pain, but it can also be the root cause of back pain to some. Some swimming strokes require the athlete to hyperextend their back to lift the head out of the water. The combination of repetitive motion, stress on the back muscles for extended periods of time, and constant movement of the legs to keep the torso out of the water, all can lead to neuromuscular discomfort and muscle weakness in various areas of the back.
Sports massage for injury prevention and muscle maintenance
Sports massage helps swimmers stay healthy and strong, both mentally and physically, throughout the swimming season and beyond.
According to University Sports Massage Inc., regular sports massage offers the following benefits:
Improves circulation
Enhances recovery
Decreases delayed muscle soreness
Promotes flexibility and range of motion
Muscle relaxation
Reduces adhesions, swelling and pain
Promotes functional scar tissue development and muscle restoration integrity
Reduces the likelihood of overusing injuries
Warms or loosens muscle and connective tissue
Improves mental focus
Massage therapy can clearly play a primary role in preventing swimming related injuries. Maintenance sports massage combined with movement therapy for the swimmer can assess and assist the athlete’s body mechanics and observe postural and muscular imbalances. By identifying any improper alignment in the swimmer’s body, a therapist can help prevent injury down the road.
The sport massage techniques applied can help promote flexibility, relaxation, and softening of the connective tissue as needed. Therapists can provide suggestions around how to develop balanced postural alignment using proper stretching techniques and encourage basic self care strategies. Equally as important, regular sports massage helps swimmers manage the stress and anxiety that comes along with being a competitive athlete.
Pre-Event sports massage
Sport massage is also an asset before and after swimming events. Prior to a swim meet, sports massage assists in warming up the muscles, increasing circulation, and stretching the muscle tissues in preparation for a high level of activity. Deep tissue and highly vigorous techniques should be avoided prior to an event. A relaxation massage and facial work can help the athlete to focus and feel strong for their race.
Post-Event sports massage
Post-event massage is focused on soothing the muscles that worked the hardest during the swim meet. The sports massage should help release muscle cramping and help relieve areas of pain with moderate pressure to the soft tissues, compression, stretching, and range of motion techniques. After a swim competition, a brief, effective sport massage can help to rest and rejuvenate the hard-working body and mind.
Medical massage for injury therapy
Medical massage is effective therapy for swim injuries. As mentioned above, swimming injuries most often occur due to repetitive use, poor stroke mechanics, or overtraining. Medical massage can help identify the problem, facilitate healing, address dysfunction, return you to optimal performance, and consider the activity biomechanics to recommend approaches to prevent injury reoccurrence. Most importantly, medical massage is proven to assist in muscle resilience and recovery. Massage makes the body more receptive to recovery by bringing more circulation to an area, reducing scar tissue, decreasing pain, restoring range of motion, clearing out extra fluid and helping reduce postural holding patterns. All of these things allow the body to recuperate faster and move again in a normal, healthy way.
Final thoughts
As a retired triathlete and also being a sports and medical massage therapist, it is very apparent to me that sports massage is a sensational way to support the needs of competitive swimmers. However, you’ll have to try it yourself to fully grasp the benefits. Don’t hesitate to reach out when you’re ready to add sports and medical massage therapy to your training protocol and together we’ll take your training to the next level.